Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I appreciate all your advice on the leucistic texas ratsnake and everglades. I like corns, but I'm also interested in other ratsnakes, and wondering which are best for a beginner. I really like black rat snakes, but have not heard much about them, and just wondering what your opinions on them and the other types. Thanks,
Mike

If you really like black ratsnakes...You should start out with one. An albino black rat was my first snake (I still have her).
I now also have a normal colored one, and there are certainly lots of other black rat morphs to choose from now. They are very hardy, easy to care for, easy to tame, impressive animals.
I would tend to put most of its close cousins (grey, yellow, texas, 'glades), in about the same category, except that the black rat may even be less demanding when it comes to heat. They exist pretty far north, and do fine at room temps, especially if they have even one small "warm spot" to bask on. A simple under-tank heat pad works out just fine. Black rats are great!!!! Duffy

My first snake was a licorice stick black rat snake (also known as white sided.) She is the most docile thing i've ever seen... has never attempted a strike or anything. My black rat snake was very active when i first got him, tried racing out of my hands... but he has calmed to the most docile snake i have. i would highly reccomend a black rat for a beginner.

-----
-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Claudius)... coming soon

Duffy's comments are dead on. Black Rats are an awsesome begnner snake. Additionally, unlike Corns, the traditional beginner snake, they really like to climb. To me that is an aded plus, I like seeing them play in the branches.

Mike
I Would have to agree as well. But just about all of the obsoleta complex are easy to work with. I have all of my rats in the same type of setting and they are all doing great!

Here are some pics of my rat snakes, Enjoy and have fun deciding:

First is my KY locale black rat, they tend to have more coloring to them than a black rat from the eastern board or from MO.

Here is my female MO locale black rat, these are pretty variable and will get jet black with some red showing between the scales and on the belly and some will have some white/grey showing as well.

Here is the male, he will be much darker than the female and have more reds showing...the camera flash brought out the pattern, he is just about jet black in coloration, Ill try to get some better pics of my MO pair...

Here is an albino black rat snake, he is a Dwight Good snake and one of the nicest albino black rat snakes I have seen!! He is an '02 snake and starting to put on the size...

Here is my Dwight Good white oak phase gray rat snake, he is an '04 and going to be a really nice looking snake...

Here is my Dwight Good stock yellow rat snake, this is an '03 yearling and is from a nice pair of FL locale...

Here is my Dwight Good stock greenish rat, also an '03 yearling...

And lastly my Everglades, he is also Dwight Good stock and gonna be a really nice looking glades....

Future additions Im planning on getting, are a great plains rat, texas rat, fox snake, and possibly a bairds.

Hope you have enjoyed the pics and be careful, once you get one rat snake, you wont be able to stop there!!!!!

Brian
-----

RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

MILKS
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)
Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Brian, your collection of Ratsnakes is outstanding. All of them are turning into stunning animals. I agree, Foxsnakes are a must have for North American Rat fans. I held one a week ago at one of the shows ( a Western Fox)and they're impressive animals. Don't have one YET, but I'm working on it, LOL And of course I'm going to brag about Bairdi rats since I do have one of those. Can't say enough about what a pleasure they are to work with. Both good choices for future additions.
As a last note, I can't say enough good things about Eastern Kings. You being a big fan of North American snakes, they are without a doubt, a future must have. I have a couple, and they are among my favorite. No doubt, the king of kings.
Steve

for the compliments! And yep foxsnakes are a very nice looking snake and I am going to add one to my collection. The Bairds are also nice and I want one of those as well. I would really like to get ahold of a Slowinkis corn and a great plains rat snake as well. And I wouldnt mind getting ahold of a nice Okeetee and a Miami phase corn as well!!!! LOL You see where this is going??? Ahh well, atleast these arent high dollar animals Im talking here, and I wont be out of too much greenback!!

And yep the kings are just as awesome as the rats, and I am going to add an eastern, speckled, florida, arizona, and a couple of others as well!!!

Man is this hobby ADDICTIVE or what!! LOL
Brian

-----

RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

MILKS
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)
Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

>>I appreciate all your advice on the leucistic texas ratsnake and everglades. I like corns, but I'm also interested in other ratsnakes, and wondering which are best for a beginner. I really like black rat snakes, but have not heard much about them, and just wondering what your opinions on them and the other types. Thanks,
>>Mike

You can't go wrong with a black rat snake. They are great snakes.
But, let me also recommend a bairds rat snake.
you guys aren't surprised are you?....LOL
Bairds rat snakes start rather ordinary but grow into stunning adults, they are excellent feeders, very docile and don't get quite as large as the black rat snakes. All and all great snakes.
I know you will enjoy whichever you choose so good luck and enjoy.
a few pictures to help confuse...ah help...you..
juvenile black rat:

adult black rat:

juvenile bairds rat snake:

adult Bairds rat snakes: male

female

-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

You can't go wrong with Black Ratsnakes. Very hardy, impressive ratsnakes. There are more morphs then ever. Everything from normal black rats, to white-sided, albinos, brindle phase, etc. Even the normal black rats have a wide range of looks. Everthing from solid jet black, like my 04 male will turn out as an adult, to Hotshots Ky locality black rat, (see above post) that have plenty of pattern and color. Great choice. Here's my 04 male, from Dwight Good.

Steve

Black ratsnakes are certainly a worthy snake, even for a beginner, and Dwight Good really produces a lot of beautiful morphs/subspecies of obsoletus. Here's one I found with some friends last summer in Southern Ohio...

There was a time when I was really into the obsoleta group, but I gave them up to research the Old World ratsnakes. Probably, not too many folks will show you any of these types of ratsnakes. Actually some of them are every bit as good as the American rats for pets, etc. Here's a Chinese beauty snake that is as nice as a black rat, but a somewhat smaller snake...

If you're not into the larger snakes, and prefer smaller pets, like me, you definitely should consider one of the miniature Eurasian rats. Here's a pretty Chinese twin-spotted ratsnake that makes an interesting and hardy pet snake...

Each person has their own preferences and characteristics they're looking for in a pet, however. Good luck finding one that suits you

TC
-----
Ratsnake Haven: Calico and hypo Chinese beauty snakes, Mandarin ratsnakes, Chinese twin-spotted ratsnakes, South Korean Dione's ratsnake, Great Plains ratsnakes and corns

Any obsoleta you can find (captive bred, of course!) would make good first snake. Like many of the other posters, one of my first snakes was a black rat I caught in OK. It was snippy, but it ate well, looked very good, and was able to tolerate many of the mistakes I made as a novice snake keepers. In your case, that last thing might be the most important issue!
Good luck!